Thursday, 20 September 2012

A Bumper Year for New Cookery Books

Oh my cupcakes! There are so many gorgeous new cookery books coming out this Autumn. Where do I start?

I am always a sucker for a beautifully packaged book with a pretty title, and this new title from Tessa Kiros looks very tempting. She has the most fascinating heritage; Finnish mother, Greek Cypriot father, raised in South Africa and Britian, and now married to an Italian and living in Italy. I have Apples for Jam and Falling Cloudberries and love them both. A new offering from the magnificent Nigella Lawson...I think I own all of her cookery books and they are all excellent. Her recipes just work. I love the jacket design of the newest title from the kitchens of Leon, and Yotam Ottolenghi - I've never bought any of his books but my recipe scrap book is full of clippings from his article in The Guardian magazine.

What's next on my wish list...two gorgeous big baking books, by Rachel Allen and The Great British Bake Off (which I am loving, by the way - is anyone else watching it?). Nigel Slater's follow up to the beautifully written The Kitchen Diaries, The Kitchen Diaries II is, according to the blurb, a "collection of small kitchen celebrations" - how perfect. And my last choice; I don't know much about the author, Diana Henry, but love the sound of Salt Sugar Smoke, obsessed as I currently am with preserves and stockpiling for the coming colder months.

(John, if you are reading this, start saving please as these are all going on my Christmas list. As is this and this. Thanks. Your loving wife.)

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Apologies for my erratic blogging lately. Since Angus started nursery I thought I'd have more time for crafting and blogging, but no, it appears the opposite is true! I have also started volunteering twice a week at Bella's school, helping kids with their reading and so far I am enjoying it enormously. But it does mean less time to craft and less time on the laptop. But I'm sure we'll find a balance soon.I will be back tomorrow with...A GIVEAWAY!!! It's long overdue. Homemade goodies are being stitched, ironed and photographed.

Great book choices, I have the Apples for Jam book and it's one of my favourites. I've hardly seen any of the 'bake off', must see if it's on catch up as I love that show and always feel very inspired.

They all look wonderful ... but ... how is it that just when, as a nation, we are becoming yet more obese, cookery books are bucking the healthy food trend and advocating recipes containing vast quantities of sugar and cream? I have never made nor eaten a cupcake in my life and I don't intend to start now. Yes, my mother used to bake what she called buns, some people called fairy cakes; just sponge cake mixture inside a little bun case. But all that goo on top and then "sprinkles" (I think that's what they're called) added are to me the equivalent of pink sequinned tops, and best avoided! No one over the age of 5 should wear sugar pink! I love cakes, but proper cakes! Victoria sponges with raspberry jam, walnut and coffee, fruit cake. Grown up cakes, in fact. Maybe, along with this vintage lark, people (aka women!) will soon tire of it ... Oh, I do sound a right old misteryguts, but I've seen so many cupcakes in the shops, and bunting this and retro that, I now long for the return to minimalism! Margaret P

I don't think cookery books are to blame for the nation's obesity epidemic!

Cupcakes are like fairy cakes, yes, but baked in bigger tins and with buttercream icing rather than the water icing I remember from my childhood. I have to say I'd pick a cupcake over a fairy cake any day! They are delicious - in fact I made a dozen red velvet ones today.

I do challenge anyone to bake a minimalist cupcake though, I wonder what that would look like?

Oh dear .. it seems we suffer the same cook book addiction ... maybe we should set up a self help group ... I love them ... the Tessa Kiros one is going on my wishlist ... I have the other two ... her books are works of art ... I have Ottolenghi - The Cookbook ... it is great ... loving the Bake Off too ... the glove of blood ... not so much :) ... Bee xx

Lots of lovely books, I agree! I bought Nigella's and Nigel Slater's and I'm going to start looking through them tomorrow. Nigella is my ultimate favourite, I bought her 1st book about 12 years ago and remember making some sort of watermelon cocktail when I was a student from one of her books! I love Nigel Slater too, his books are always so beautifully written. x

The Diana Henry is on my list too - I recently bought Food from Plenty which I love. As is Nigel - my love of cooking stems directly from picking up a copy of Real Food Fast as a student...and Yotam, and more Leon oh my my my too many lovley things

woah so many cookbooks! I've recently discovered Lorraine Pascale, and now have her two latest books. The recipes are simple, easy and tasty too! It's the first book I've had that I've made lots of recipes from and always find something I want to make!

Dear GillianWhat a wonderful selection of goodies here! My hubby collects cookery books - he will soon be able to open a small library of them. I love The Great British Bake Off - one of my favourite programmes on at the moment. I will feel completely bereft when the series finishes!Best wishes (and happy cooking and baking)Ellie

How wonderful that your husband collects cookery books! I remember you saying that he is the cook in your household. I will also be bereft when GBBO ends, but luckily strictly come dancing starts soon and I do love that programme. x

Gorgeous selection of cookbooks! I love Nigella and recently discovered Rachel Allen on television and I adore her cooking. I found her show so relaxing to watch. It's so great that you are helping out at Bella's school. I'm sure she enjoys having you there a few days each week. Have a lovely weekend!

I've got my eye on a couple of them, too, though I have no idea where they'll fit in. (The one in, one out approach seems to have fallen by the wayside.) I also like the look of Jane Brocket's 'Vintage Cakes.

That made me laugh - we were supposed to have a one in one out approach to our books after the last big clear out. But no. I just can't bear to get rid of books. I am going to ask my Dad to put up another shelf in my kitchen instead!

I love a cookbook and have my eye on a few - the 'Scandelicious Baking' book for one and 'Limoncello and Linen Water' (because I know it will be as beautiful as the her other titles) but like everyone else I'm not sure where I'll find room to put them....

I'm a sucker for cookery books too, but I end up buying them and then not using them, I tend to find more inspiration on the internet for meals. I'm not letting Eleanor see that satchel otherwise it will be going on her Christmas list too, though I know she'd choose the green one.

Hi Gillian,I want the Yotam Ottolenghi book, think they are fab! I also want a satchel - navy blue boys one though!! Good on you for helping to listen to the children to read - very important. Have a happy weekend!Ivan